Sean aka Diesel (Cocker Brothers Book 14) Read online

  They freeze, go silent.

  His wife purses her lips.

  My heart punches my ribs, faster and faster, but outside I keep my cool.

  I nearly jump at a fresh explosion of laughter that’s even louder. One stocky dude with a grey-streaked man-bun shouts, “Our President? Kid’s almost as cocky as you, Jett!”

  His wife smiles, slipping her arm around her husband. “My name is Luna Cocker, but you recognized me from my daughter, didn’t you?”

  “I did. Incredible resemblance.” And now I know why Sofia Sol looked Latin.

  He gazes into her sultry eyes like there’s nobody else around, rubs her ass like a genie might pop out of it, then glances to me. “I’m gonna give the kid a shot.”

  Ciphers file down the stairs as if given an order. Now I’m surrounded. It’s a clusterfuck to remember their names, gotta be fifteen or twenty of them. I’m bad with numbers anyway, and I’m so overwhelmed that if Jett said it was fifty people, I’d believe him. I shake hands with the men, bow my head a little to the women, shake their hands when offered, careful not to overstep a boundary.

  The only children among this group are identical twin girls with dark skin and huge brown eyes that stare at me like I’m a disappointment.

  “He’s not a kid, Jett.” “He’s a grown man!”

  Jett frowns as he realizes. “Shay, Mylar, well shit, did you think that I was bringing a playmate into the club?” They nod like, of course we thought that, you idiot. Guilt flickers across his face. “When I called him a kid I didn’t mean an actual…ah, fuck. Everyone under thirty is a kid to me. You’re what, Sean, twenty-seven?”

  “Yeah, that’s right.” I offer a smile to the girls, “I’ll still be your prom date when you grow up, though. If you need one.”

  Oh man, do they light up, jumping in their skin like that was exactly what they were hoping for.

  “This is Atlas. Meg and Honey Badger’s kid, too, just like Sage here. Atlas will be training you, so get ready.” Jett motions to the beauty next, “And this is Celia. She’ll be working with Atlas to get you in line, since my daughter isn’t here.” Luna smacks his arm, and he corrects himself, “Celia, you know what I mean.”

  I see a flash of irritation in her warm brown eyes, but she tries to hide it, extending her hand. “Hey Sean.”

  I dip my head with respect, return the firm shake she gives. “Celia, with those arms I’m already afraid.”

  A sexy smirk tugs on her lips. “I’m gonna make those fears real.”

  CHAPTER 5

  SEAN

  J ett tells me as we approach a room, “You’ll be staying with Atlas, in Luke’s bed since he’s…away.” Atlas walks out, gives me a curt nod and silently exchanges a look with the President as Jett explains, “Someone brought your suitcase up already. Bathroom’s down the hall—it’s shared so bring your toothbrush with you, then bring it back.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Grey eyes narrow like he’s trying to figure me out. “My daughter is sharp. Very sharp. She’s seen things you can’t imagine. Has instincts like a trained assassin. If my Sofia said to give you a shot, then that’s why I’m taking this chance having you in my home, understand? Just in case you get any funny ideas, Atlas’s belt is so black it’s a wormhole to a universe of pain, get me? Tomorrow I want to see how you fight.” Heading off he raises his thick, leathery hand in a wave as I stare after him.

  Atlas shuffles his feet and I glance over, see him waiting for me to enter his bedroom. “Luke’s on a mission,” he says like he’s lying. “We don’t know where he is because it’s confidential.”

  Is this some sort of test? I met Luke. Don’t they know that? I bet Atlas is trying to see if I’ll give away a Cipher’s secret whereabouts—that telling him would be an example of breaking code. All of this sprints through my brain as I stroll in and decide the unmade bed will be mine for the duration of my stay. Lifting my suitcase on it I tug on the resistant zipper and offer no information, just a question. “You guys friends?”

  “He’s my brother.”

  My eyebrows rise as I scan Atlas. I should have guessed that. “How about Celia? She your sister?”

  He makes a face like I’m crazy, sitting on his unmade bed in jeans and a faded black t-shirt, boots scarred with experiences I can’t wait to have. “Ceels? Nah, she’s like a sister, but no blood. Her mom is Carmen, Dad is Tonk Sr. Her brother is…”

  We both say at the same time, “Tonk Jr.”

  “Right,” he smirks. “That guy doesn’t come on missions.”

  “Not surprised by that,” I mutter, taking out a leather satchel I’m using for toiletries.

  Atlas points to it. “That’s cool. Where’d you get it?”

  Removing the toothbrush and travel-sized toothpaste I answer, “It was my dad’s.”

  “He give it to you?”

  “My mom did. When he died.”

  Atlas leans back on his hands, legs spread. “Oh man, that sucks. How’d he go?”

  “Accident on the job. He was in construction. Word is he told the foreman they needed the rain to stop. Foreman was past schedule and over budget, so he told my dad to stop being a pansy and get out there. Steel beams are slippery even with regulation shoes. Dad slipped. One of his buddies tried to save him. Fell fifteen stories off a new building that’s still in Phoenix. They completed it without my father.” I start for the door, pause and look over. “That’s probably the most I’ve said to anybody about it since it happened.”

  With respect in his voice, Atlas asks, “How long ago?”

  “I was eleven, so sixteen years.” Heading for the bathroom I frown as I walk the carpet runner, hardwood on either side of it. The door opens before I touch the handle and Celia is standing in front of me, dark hair up in a bun, face freshly scrubbed, golden skin glowing almost as brightly as her warm brown eyes.

  “Oh, Sean, hey.”

  To keep her here with me a few seconds longer, I motion to the room. “So, is there some stuff I shouldn’t touch or…?”

  She registers the question and flips around in a friendly way. “Here, let me show you.” We leave the door open as she explains, “This used to be just a bathtub. We had a shower installed in it. Or they did, Scratch and Mona. They’re not here anymore.”

  “They pass away?” I ask, still thinking of my father.

  Celia reacts, “What? No! They moved to Montana! We have a few houses. This one is the South’s home base.” She points to the long counter under an antique mirror clouded by time. I glance down to her breasts, can’t help but notice how her bra is gone and that cotton halter is old and flimsy. I can see the exact outline of her erect nipple. Instantly my brain pictures her naked. Can’t hear a word she says because my blood rushed down. Her voice has become a soundtrack to a porn scene unfolding in my mind. Door shutting. Her asking if I want a tour of her body next. Me planting her muscular ass on that old marble and going to work, making her writhe and buck and yield to me.

  “Sean?”

  Flying up to meet her eyes I lick my lips and cough. “I didn’t hear any of that.”

  She stares at me, and then bursts out laughing. “Are you always this honest?”

  “Pretty much,” I smile, relieved. “Sorry, I’m a man.”

  Her forehead wrinkles on a sarcastic smile. “Yeah, I noticed that.”

  Instantly my cock is wondering what she means. Is she as attracted to me as I am to her? “You thought I was a teenager, too?”

  “The way Jett described you, yeah. Atlas and I talked about it last night. Neither of us expected you to be between our ages. He’s twenty-five, I’m thirty-one, almost thirty-two.”

  Setting my satchel down I lean against the marble and cross my arms. “You planning on living here all your life?”

  “Yes.”

  “Most people don’t want to live with their parents that long.”

  She pulls the circular shower curtain into place, smooths the folds as she explains, “We don�
��t just live with our parents. We work together on jobs that we can’t share with the regular world. We train to fight. It’s a very communal, live/work existence, which might seem strange to some people but…we look out for each other in ways that you’ll come to find out, if you become a Cipher.” Celia gives me a lopsided smile, nude lips soft and mesmerizing. “Well, you can find your way around now. I’m going to bed.”

  Quickly I blurt, “So when I shower in the morning…”

  Will you join me?

  She cocks an eyebrow, waiting for the rest. “Yes?”

  I wish it was a yes.

  “I didn’t bring shampoo, I just realized. Does everyone use the same bottles?”

  Both hands fly up in stop gestures. “You’re not allowed to use our shampoo! You didn’t bring your own?”

  My mouth goes slack. “Uh…”

  Celia grins, takes a step closer and hits my chest with her knuckles. “Kidding! Use any of them. We get the supersize from Costco. It’s nothing special. Sometimes I buy the good conditioner but with all the long hair in this house it vanishes so quickly I just give up.”

  “You know what the trick is?” Sage asks, poking her head in, long red hair hanging straight and shiny, body hidden by the wall. “Put a little regular lotion on it after it dries. Just a little on your hands, then smooth them over your head and bam, it’s as good as conditioned.” Darting a glance to my head she says, “You’d have to use very little since you’ve got short hair.”

  Amused I argue, “It’s not that short.”

  Celia tells Sage, “For a normal guy his hair is longer.” She reaches up and touches it, sending goosebumps down my neck. “See? Hanging a little over his ears here. And this part on top is very long.” Combing it with her fingers, she has no idea that I want her to do this forever. Her touch is something else. Especially since the girl is ripped. I would have thought she’d be rougher, but nope.

  Shrugging, Sage smiles, “It looks pretty short to me, Ceels. But he’s cute. You’re cute, Sean. We didn’t expect you to be cute.”

  Watching my reaction, Celia laughs. In fact they’re both entertained and curious how I’ll handle their combined assault. Pheromones are flying. “Sage, I’ll be honest.”

  Celia announces, “He’s brutally honest, so wait for this.”

  Suppressing a grin I tell the redhead, “There is no way in hell I’m putting lotion on my hair.”

  “You wearing that to bed?”

  “No.”

  “What are you wearing to bed?”

  “I know a fish hook when it dangles in front of my mouth,” I smirk.

  Celia walks out, “We’ll leave you to your business,” closing the door behind her while Sage bends to keep eye contact. The redhead gives a little wave right before the click.

  CHAPTER 6

  C ELIA

  Every Cipher home has come out to the backyard, circled our training area to find a good place to watch. It’s a patch of ground that the elders tore the grass out of decades ago, just past the enclosed back-porch. Now it’s covered with thick pads in the shape of a large square. The padding is portable for inclement weather. Not drizzle, but when we get a real downpour we drag these pads to our waterproof shed, wipe them down, treat them like some people treat their children when they’re sick.

  Jett’s in loose jeans, tight belt, no shirt, barefoot, the bright sun shining on his tanned back.

  Sean’s wearing grey sweats and a matching tank top that make his blue eyes even more vivid. I love blue eyes. Like Atlas’s. He’s so lucky he inherited them from his mother, Meg. But his are darker, smoky. Sean’s are bright like sapphires. And right now they’re solely focused on our President. If the audience is making him nervous I can’t tell.

  “We don’t expect you to know Martial Arts, because my daughter said you don’t. So that’s off the table. What I want to see is how well you can fight.” Mutual grunts from the audience. Jett holds up his fists and they slowly circle each other. “I want to see how quick your reflexes are, Sean.” Even before he finished the sentence, his fist flew and clocked Sean’s jaw.

  Everyone falls silent.

  Stumbling back, the newbie shakes his head, refocusing on Jett. He’s not secure about punching the one man who could send him packing. A decision strikes his eyes, and he throws a punch.

  Jett bobs under it, grey eyes glinting. “Nice try! Didn’t know if you’d take longer to—” Sean swings again and hits him this time. We all react, especially Jett, eyes flashing with excitement. “Oh, now you’re in trouble.”

  They go back and forth, ducking and punching. Jett has the upper hand. But Sean holds his own more than I would’ve expected. It goes on for a while, both men enjoying it. I can see our newbie has the fire in him that we all share. He’s enjoying the sport. Could probably do this for hours. His form is civilian, the stance of a guy in a bar who can throw down. His body is strong and healthy, muscles okay for a normie, but that’ll change if he sticks around. He’ll get ripped, like the rest of us, sculpted by hard work and determination.

  Sage catches my eyes from across the way and mouths, he’s hot!

  I nod like, you should go for him.

  She bites her bottom lip on a grin and resumes her appreciation of the show.

  Jett steps back, a show that it’s over. “Not bad. Let’s see if you can handle someone harder than me.” He glances around the Ciphers, rests on Honey Badger, the one nicknamed after the most fearless creature in the wild. “Come in here, Celia.”

  Sean reacts, shocked and blinking as he struggles to regain his composure. There’s a titter throughout our club at the bait and switch. People shuffle their weight, exchanging excited glances as I kick off my shoes and walk onto the pads in jean shorts and a brown tank top, hair down to my lower back. Sage accused me of trying to look sexy today. She doesn’t know I did this for Atlas, not Sean.

  The newbie and I lock eyes as I square off to him. He mutters, “You mean harder because it’ll be tough for me to hit a girl.”

  Jett chuckles, “You’d better try because if you don’t, she’s going to kick your ass in front of everyone, and then where will you be?”

  “On a plane back to Arizona.”

  “That’s right!” Jett walks off the mat to give us room. As he passes me he winks, giving me permission to use any tool necessary just like if I were on a mission and came up on a man bigger than me.

  Poor Sean hates this, and I think it’s hilarious. There’s a war raging inside him as we circle, the struggle dancing across his sapphires. My arms are down, trained body relaxed, secretly ready. It’s confusing him that I don’t have my fists up. He keeps glancing to my hands so I float them up, sapphires darting between them. Dropping to a squat I sweep my leg out against the backs of his knees, take him to the ground with one kick. Everyone starts cheering as he shakes his head and gets back up, this time angry.

  He throws his first punch. I lean back and let it fly away before I hook my fist into his ribs and bounce back as he tries to punch me with his left. I take the power of his throw and use it to toss him in that direction. His momentum is what I needed to get him off his legs again. He falls to the ground. More laughter. But this time he’s up, faster, angrier. I’ve got a smile on my face I can’t wipe off. He tries again, lands one punch and reacts like he’s sorry. That’s when I fuck him up.

  My father, Tonk Sr., shouts, “That’s my girl!”

  Jett jumps in between us. “Time!” As Sean backs up, jaw cut up and blood dripping down his clavicle, Jett asks him, “You see what you did there?”

  “I hesitated.”

  “That’s right. You hit her, and instead of taking control you backed up and let her attack you. When you’re on a mission and you’re faced with some evil bitch who would take your life as easily as say hi to you, you cannot see her as a woman. She is an opponent, and the mission is all that matters. Got me?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Sir?” Melodi chuckles. Jett shoots her
a look. She loses the smile. Mel always gives him a hard time. We know it’s out of love, but Sean is learning about us from everything he sees and experiences. Disrespecting the President is not to be tolerated.

  Gotta live inside the rules before you break them.

  Jett motions to the house. “Get cleaned up, Sean.”

  “I’m good.”

  Jett watches him a second. “Alright, Atlas, get in here. This time, I want you to show Sean a few things. Don’t just beat the shit out of him. Teach him.”

  “You got it.” Atlas unties his boots and walks onto the pads in faded, ripped, black jeans and matching t-shirt. We fist-bump as I head out and stand beside Sage. She bumps her hip to mine to tell me I did good in there, but my eyes are on them.

  The circling begins as Atlas explains some moves he makes as he executes them. “Look here, at my chest. Not at my face. Use your peripheral vision to see everything around you. If you stay locked on these,” he motions to his own dark blue eyes, “you get trapped by their expression. It’s the body, not the face, you gotta watch.”

  And watch it I am. These two circling each other, throwing punches, has my ovaries pinging like a slot machine. Sean’s not as ripped as Atlas yet, but he’s six-two and glistening with sweat. Gorgeous. It’s been over a year since I’ve had sex. The hunger. The ache.

  Sage bumps her hip against mine again. She winks at me like she knows what I’m thinking.

  As our potential recruit hits the mat one final time, Jett shouts, “Time! Go get cleaned up, Sean. No, don’t argue. That’s it for today.”

  Newbie clicks his jaw, blood dripping as he nods. The urge to refuse is there, and we all see it. As he heads inside, all eyes are on him and nobody is talking.

  Luna slips her arm around Jett and tucks her hand in his back pocket as he lowers his voice. “The guy has a blaze in here.” Jett thumps his chest. “But this isn’t just me deciding. Weigh in on what you just saw.”

  Fuse, a member of Dad’s original crew and Melodi’s husband, says, “Agreed. I watched him like a fuckin’ hawk. He would’ve kept going if you hadn’t called it. That’s fine by me.”